Credit: Daniel Beltrá / Greenpeace
There’s a multitude of ever-growing charities and organizations, large and little alike, dedicated to promoting and maintaining the breath of our environment. But you might be the kind of person who prefers to focus your energy on just one charity, or even a select few, which means it can be a struggle finding one that feels right for you and that most deserves your support. So here you have it – a pick of some of the coolest, greenest guys out there and how you can get involved with their work.
Each is grappling with environmental and ethical issues but varied heartfelt passions set them apart – see that’s the beauty of these niche eco-groups. Whatever our forte, we can always find a way to help rejuvenate our planet…
Who? GREENPEACE – for the greenery, the waters and our homes
At a Glance – One of the biggest global environmental organizations out there (alongside RSPB, WWF and Friends of the Earth). Greenpeace works to preserve our beautiful oceans, forests and agriculture. They stress that climate change is in no way inevitable – and rightly so. Overall, their goal is ‘a green and peaceful world’ with an earth that is allowed to nurture life and flourish healthily.
How you can get involved! – Greenpeace has plenty for you to do. You can start by signing up for their newsletter so that you don’t miss out on their latest campaigns. Presently, they’re concerned with putting paid to deep water drilling for the love of our marshland and defenceless wildlife. You can check out their list of online campaigns and simply fill in your details, thus putting a name to the letter of protest. If you want something a bit more proactive, you can fundraise, attend events near you and volunteer or work for Greenpeace, whether it’s at the office or on a ship in Amsterdam!
www.greenpeace.org.uk
Who? COMMON GROUND – for our cherished hideouts, our neighbors and culture
At a Glance – Common Ground prides itself on linking our environment with culture and the arts. Do you have a sentimental bond with the places you visit in your life? Well this charity sees significance in nurturing and celebrating that bond in a way that benefits the earth. Common Ground has coined the term “local distinctiveness” for that sense of being one with the land you walk and what’s more, snapped up the Best Environmental Charity 2010 Award from The Independent for it.
How you can get involved! – You can organize events for your locality. Some traditional, inspiring annual events are celebrated nationally, such as Apple Day on October 21st which involves planting new orchards and the custom of ‘tree dressing’. Check their event calendar online for a list of festivals and gatherings. To help fund Common Ground, you can even buy books revealing the best of England’s obscure terrain or t-shirts with Wordsworth’s poetry strewn across them.
www.commonground.org.uk
Who? CHRISTIAN ECOLOGY LINK – for Christianity and spirituality
At a Glance – CEL seeks to unite the eco-friendly in light of Christianity. The integration of spirituality and sustainable living can only do a world of good.
How you can get involved! – If you are devout, you can encourage your fellow church-goers to go greener. You can download the monthly prayer guides offering words of inspiration pertaining to our earth. The CEL diary is usually brimming with a number of events all over the UK. In fact, it is well worth keeping an eye on the Events section of CEL’s site as it includes the events hosted by charities of a similar nature.
www.christian-ecology.org.uk
Who? BOTTLETOP – for music, art and above all fashion
At a Glance – If you are a youthful soul with a passion for the creative arts, this might just be your cup of tea. With its interests lying in fashion, music and art, Bottletop aims to eradicate the perils concerning teenage health through ‘environmentally friendly and ethically sourced products’. Bottletop makes dazzling products from recycled ring pulls and has even formed its own supergroup, The Bottletop Band, involving Babyshambles and Tim Burgess of The Charlatans amongst others. No wonder this charity has gained express praise, from Bill Clinton no less, for its innovativeness.
How you can get involved! – It’s all on the Get Involved section of the website. They are always on the lookout for deft volunteers to help get the Bottletop message across. You might want to organise a challenge or event to raise funds, and schools interested in partnering with Bottletop can benefit from fun, organised events. Or if you have spotted a wonderful, ethical piece befitting of their fashion range, why not point it out to them?

www.bottletop.org
Who? EARTHWATCH – for every nation and conservation. The Earth, literally
At a Glance – These guys are actually awesome. Not only do they want your support in promoting a greener earth, but they look to engage you in their initiatives through enlightenment of the issues being tackled. Earthwatch is highly popular – it has worked with over 80 companies to better their performance environmentally and is dedicated to training others all over the globe, namely in developing countries. As a result, Earthwatch has been able to accomplish an array of things like improve access to water supply in southern Kenya, collate a rich supply of significant data on various species, and determine the best for endangered species and habitats.
How you can get involved! – Besides the usual fundraising, donating or hosting an event in Earthwatch’s name, you could consider going on a research expedition. Unleash the archaeologist or conservationist in you by scooting off to Russia or South Africa for an unforgettable hands-on, experience. There are of course fees but they are not painfully extortionate. Quite often, special offers are available and you can get others to sponsor you. Also, you might do well to check out the job and internship listings if you think you have what it takes to join the Earthwatch team.
www.earthwatch.org/europe
Of course, do remember this list is miles from exhaustive. These make just a small percentage of the many eco-friendly charities so feel free to do your own homework. Looking closer to home is always a thought. Your local borough or university is sure to have something eco-oriented that you can contribute your time to!
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(Source: www.hippyshopper.com )